Duplex envelope



l aefzz x %M@%Zma7g VV. A. SEBASTIAN DUPLEX ENVELOPE Filed July 51, 1959Jan. 314, 1941.

' this end of the resulting rear side of the envelope Patented Jan. 14,1941 UNITED STATES DUPLEX ENVELOPE Wendell A. Sebastian, Chicago, 111.,assignor to Columbia Envelope Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application July 31, 1939, Serial No. 287,463

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a duplex envelope of paper in which isprovided separate inner compartments, each adapted to receive mailmatter of a different class.

The present improvements are concerned more particularly with anenvelope construction which is simple and inexpensive, which willadequately protect the matter enclosed therewithin, which provides twocompartments that are separated yet communicating, and which will meetthe usual requirements imposed by the Post O-flice Department.

A suggestive embodiment of my invention is set forth in the accompanyingdrawing wherein- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the envelope face, aportion of the front side being broken away to exhibit the pocket whichis formed therewithin;

Fig. 2 is a view of the blank from which the envelope is formed;

Fig. 3 is a detail in section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3-3of Fig 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view, taken transversely of theenvelope at a point adjacent one end of the inner pocket.

The blank, as illustrated in Fig. 2, comprises, by preference, a centralrectangular panel A adapted to constitute the front side of theenvelope, and two side panels B and C joined thereto along spacedparallel bend lines I) and 0 respectively. The side panels are adaptedto be folded upon the bend lines to provide a rear side for theenvelope, one panel overlapping the other for an extended adherencethereto along a longitudinal strip .r. An end flap D which is joined tothe central panel along the line d is adapted to be folded around andover the ends of the side flap-s when the blank is formed into anenvelope. If desired, the ends of the side panels remote from the endflap may be slightly inset as at 11 so that will terminate slightlyinwardly from the envelope end which is defined by the bend line e fromwhich a sealing flap E is extended. The reference characters applied tothe various parts of the blank are used herein to designate thecorresponding parts of the made-up envelope. As described thus far, theenvelope is entirely conventional, and no claim thereto is hereadvanced.

The features which are special to my invention reside in the provisionof an inner pocket, open along one side, and supported entirely upon theinner face of the front side of the envelope. For this purpose I utilizea partition P, desirably of rectangular form, which is positioned withinthe envelope and adhered as at 1) adjacent three of its edges to theinner face of the envelope front side. The lower edge of the partitionmay be positioned relatively close to the lower edge of the envelope andso require no adherence thereto, but the remaining edges of thepartition are desirably secured to the inner face of the front side asclearly indicated in Fig. 1. This partition, which forms the rear sideof an inner pocket, is positioned opposite an opening 0 in the frontside of the envelope, adapted to provide a window through which may beobserved the writing or printed matter on an insert I which may bepositioned within the pocket. If desired, the window may be left open ormay be covered over with a transparent pane o of cellophane, glassine orthe like, the edge portions of such a pane overlapping the inner, faceof the front wall of the envelope throughout the area which surroundsthe window, and being adhesively secured thereto. I

Proximate to the window and situated thereabove is an incision extendingcontinuously in three directions to form a pocket flap F which isconnected integrally with the front side of the envelope along a hingeline h. In making the incision by which this pocket flap is produced, nomaterial need be cut out, with the consequence that the edges of theflap fit very close to the proximate edges of the front side of theenvelope, but with no overlap. The rear side of the pocket flap may begummed as at 9 so that, after an insert is passed through the slit whichdefines this flap, the latter may be adhered to the partition which liesimmediately therebehind. When this is done, the pocket is entirelyclosed from the outside, and the loss of the insert is effectivelyprevented.

In Fig. 4 I have shown an exactly similar construction with the singleexception that the rear side of the pocket flap is not gummed but,instead, the partition therebehind is gummed over its entire face. Thismakes it possible to secure the partition to the inner face of the frontside of the envelope, and also to secure the pocket flap to thepartition when it is desired to seal the pocket. In practice, matter ofone mailing .class may be slipped into the large open end of theenvelope after which the flap E is closed and secured in any appropriatemanner. Other mailing matter, of a different class, may be insertedthrough the incision to occupy a position within the pocket followingwhich its flap F is sealed to prevent loss of this insert from theenvelope. It is unnecessary that the bottom of the pocket be closedsince the partition may be relatively close to the bottom edge of theenvelope permitting, if desired, the insert to extend downwardly beyondthe partition so as to engage within the fold at the lower envelopeedge, all as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

The advantages of the present envelope reside largely in the simplicityof its construction. In forming the blank, there is little or no wasteof material and very little in the way of punchings to be disposed of.The flap which closes the pocket need not be specially formed, but, asshown, is produceable by an incision which leaves no overlap. Since therear wall of this pocket, viz. the partition, aifords a surface againstwhich the pocket flap may be adhered, there will be no difiiculty insafeguarding the insert while in transit. It is also an advantage, wherea large insert is to be accommodated, that the pocket be open along thebottom whereby to permit the insert to extend therethrough to share thespace within the envelope proper along with other matter which may beaccommodated therevvithin, the insert, under such conditions, having itslower edge in abutting relation with the inside of the fold whichdefines the lower edge of the envelope.

I claim:

1. A paper envelope having a closable opening and in which is compriseda front side having a window opening, there being an incision spacedfrom but adjacent the window opening defining a flap which is integralwith the front side of the envelope and outwardly bendable therefromalong a fold line which is located between the window and incision, anda partition opposite the opening and flap, positioned wholly within theenvelope and adhered along areas adjacent certain of its edges to theinner face of the front side thereof, forming therewith an inner pocketinto which a view is afforded through the window opening and to whichaccess is gained from the front side through the incision around theflap, and means for securing the inner face of the flap to the partitionto seal said pocket.

2. A paper envelope having a closable opening and in which is compriseda front side having a window opening, there being an incision spacedfrom but adjacent the window opening defining a flap which is integralwith the front side of the envelope and outwardly bendable therefromalong a fold line which is located between the window and incision, anda partition opposite the opening and flap, positioned wholly within theenvelope and adhered along areas adjacent its opposite ends to the innerface of the front side thereof, forming therewith an inner pocket intowhich a view is afforded through the window opening and to which accessis gained from the front side through the incision around the flap, andmeans for securing the inner face of the flap to the partition to sealsaid pocket.

3. A paper envelope having a closable opening and in which is compriseda front side having a window opening, there being an incision spacedfrom but adjacent the window opening defining a flap which is integralwith the front side .of the envelope and outwardly bendable therefromalong a fold line which is located between the window and incision, anda partition opposite the opening and flap, positioned wholly within theenvelope and adhered along areas adjacent its opposite ends to the innerface of the front side thereof, forming therewith an inner pocket intowhich a view is afforded through the window opening and to which accessis gained from the front side through the incision around the flap, thebottom edge of the partition being free and spaced from the proximateedge of the envelope whereby to provide for communication between thepocket and envelope at this region, and means for securing the innerface of the flap to the partition to seal said pocket.

4. A paper envelope having a closable opening and in which is compriseda front side having a window opening and adjacent thereto, but spacedtherefrom, an incision extending continuously in three directions toprovide a flap which is integral with the front side of the envelope andoutwardly bendable therefrom along a fold line which is located betweenthe window and incision, and a partition opposite the opening and flap,positioned wholly within the envelope and adhered along areas outside ofthe opening and flap to the inner face of the front side thereof, anddefining therewith a pocket to which access may be gained from the frontside through the openining vacated by the flap when the latter isoutwardly bent, said flap projecting away from the opening and havingits free longitudinal edge remote therefrom, and means forminganadhesive connection between the inner face of the flap and partitionwhereby to seal the opening to the pocket.

5. A paper envelope having a closable opening and in which is compriseda front side having a window opening and adjacent thereto, but spacedtherefrom, an incision extending continuously in three directions toprovide a flap which is integral with the front side of the envelope andoutwardly bendable therefrom along a fold line which is located betweenthe window and incision, and a partition opposite the opening and flap,positioned wholly within the envelope and adhered along areas outside ofthe opening and flap to the inner face of the front side thereof, anddefining therewith a pocket to which access may be gained from the frontside through the opening vacated by the flap when the latter isoutwardly bent, and an adhesive on the inner surface of said flap, saidinner surface of the flap being designed for sealing engagement with theopposed inner surface of the partition to seal the opening to thepocket.

. WENDELL A. SEBASTIAN.

